officials at the pentagon, including the highest—ranking military officer, the chairman of thejoint chiefs of staff, also out is admiral lisa franchetti, the first woman to lead the us navy. friedrich merz, whose conservative christian far—right alternative for germany, or afd, expected to come second. germany is also warning of russian interference in spread on social media. now on bbc news... the interview: geraint thomas. retiring from the sport.

he's been world and olympic champion and a winner now there's time to look back on an extraordinary career. cardiff born and bred, he's a welsh sporting hero. i think we're so lucky as athletes just to do what we do. this is our life — just racing our bikes, training... mm. ..and its special. so what comes next for geraint thomas? i won't be racing my bike any more, back to cardiff. obviously the climate is going to be different. i'm looking forward to it. it's a new chapter. when it doesn't rain much,

you tend to just avoid riding in the rain. oh, really? yeah. for geraint thomas, this has been home for 13 years. and he trains in the sunshine and spectacular mountain passes nearby. so, ger, here we are in monaco. i suppose the most cliched, obvious question is, ithink, you know, this will be my 19th year as a professional and it's got to end at some point, so ijust didn't want to do one year too many and be that and negative on the bus. competitive and, yeah, the last few years has and looking forward to...

i think i'll miss the... just be around more and just... yeah. ..a new challenge as well. so after his incredible and glittering career, from the world championships, the olympic medals, gold medals, and then, obviously, the first briton, actually born in britain... mm. ..to win the tour de france. ofjust riding the tour... yeah. you know, winning was obviously, like, a dream so, yeah, i think now,

especially now, when i've... ..because when you're in it, it'sjust one thing after the next, year after year, you know, at the time you enjoy it and whatever but i don't think there will be a bit of that this year, i guess. and what an extraordinary list of achievements he can reflect on. he's one of britain's greatest ever cyclists. success has come on the track and on the road. i mean, they're all amazing, aren't they? obviously, beijing was massive. but then you're part of the british olympic team i think the tour is what really sort of changed my life,

all over the place, from places like america to... recognised me there. like, just random places. and i think that's when it kind of, it went up a level then. yeah. a brit would actually win it. in britain to win it. yeah, it's nuts. absolutely life—changing. and he was always sort of that prologue specialist, time trial specialist, wear the yellow jersey, and dave millar and a few others when i was sort of coming up. and changed and british cycling is so strong now and the amount of professional riders in the world tour... mm.

well, there's loads. i think it's... ladies and gentlemen, what an honour and a pleasure it is to pay tribute to geraint thomas _ thousands and thousands turned out for his homecoming in cardiff after his tour de proud to say he's - a cardiff boy and he cried and i cried for him... ..cos... cyclists out there. get my head round it. it's just insane. because it's the history, isn't it? all the stories going back years and years.

i think you go anywhere in the world and a lot yeah. and, you know, as you say, the history, and we still race still the same mountains yeah. and third in the tour as well, it's... yeah, it's pretty cool. totally! coming out onto the road, every day for three weeks or so. yeah, that support, i think that, you know, with the crowd... yeah. ..those iconic sort of images of the crowd parting

is it? i absolutely love that. obviously, it's a bit sketchy sometimes, if they get a bit "i don't want to get "too close to this guy, running with his flag," or whatever, but that's what makes the sport so special. it's free to just go and watch on the side of the road. yeah. unique, really. it's not like you can go and have a kickabout yeah, it's just... just getting battered. but it is gruelling. shape of their lives, so it's certainly tough, but to be competitive in there and, you know, yeah.

the crashes you've had, you know. fortunately, i've. .. but i've been pretty fortunate, really, in my 19 years. but, yeah, it's. .. dogs and cows and sheep and everything on the roads, there can be gravel, and then, obviously, we're just in lycra and a helmet and you're going down i don't know if you'd be able to... if it was a new sport, they wouldn't allow it, would they? no, exactly, so... but... yeah, it definitely adds to it.

i think i rememberjust being a kid when i would go to majorca for the first time and you'd do some real descents, as opposed to just riding down yeah, it was... yeah. it's continually developing... yeah. but that is part of the thrill of it as well. love with the sport. it was like, i really want to do this. we travelled around the country doing track races and ijust won a few national titles, went to thejunior worlds, a career out of this. applied to uni, but that was only because and that was it, joined the academy and...yeah.

you had the dreams but you never really thought even riding the tour for the first time in 2007, i was just like, there's no way i'll ever be coming here i was just trying to get around. yeah. that was kind of weird. yeah. and then sports personality, wasn't it? yeah. that was another thing. that was like... that was something i watched religiously, you know? you know, all those massive names of british sport so, this final year, have you set yourself any ambition? agonising. we all felt for you on that, but...

so i think the tour. it's the biggest. because i missed it in 2023. it the one year. it one more big hit. whoever the leader is there, but i think, you know, try and go and win a stage. yeah. just enjoy the race, you know? i think we're so lucky as athletes just to do what we do. yeah. this is our life — just racing our bikes, training... mm. yeah. yeah, yeah, yeah. it's incredible, the support i've had over the years,

and know that it's going to be my last year. i can really, as you say, absorb that and make the most of all the support. not really. i thinkjust enjoy it. like, just... yeah. just embrace the life. yeah. it's just enjoyment. just enjoy it. you can see why... when i moved down here, froomey was on the cusp of winning his first tour. richie porte was one of the best climbers in the world at the time. so, to be training with those two day in, day out,

and i was pushing them. i was behind them, but, you know, they wanted to stay ahead of me, i wanted to overtake them, and there was that real competitive nature in the team. that's what really drove us on in those days, for sure. and you've only got hills up here. it's perfect for training. there's only one way up! yeah, yeah, yeah. set—up here as well, with the support from the team. he returns as one of the most successful sportspeople you were saying you've made a decision now, once the tours are over, to go and move back home. yeah. yeah, yeah, yeah, after, like... it'll be 13 years down here now. but the time has just gone like that. like, it feels... yeah. so, yeah, it'll be a big change, you know? i won't be racing my bike any more.

back to cardiff. yeah. it's a lot of change but i'm looking forward to it. it's a new chapter. it's a new... yeah. new challenges ahead. i'm looking forward to that but i'm not wishing certainly. i'm going to enjoy them and make the most of them. the national velodrome is named after him closer to home.

it's just the family and friends. yeah. but obviously it's nice at home as well. but that's the main thing. you know, birthdays or, like, you know, weddings and parties or whatever. that would be... which is brilliant. finish in cardiff. we'll take you on a night out. i would love it. i don't know if you want to go| on a night out in cardiff, ben. you'd have a shock. mate. is that one avenue you'd like to do more of? go into other things

with the media or whatever, but, yeah, i didn't plan on riding as long at the minute, and then, once i do stop, i can but i think having options is always good. yeah. and also, as you say, more family time, and that's get used to you not training, not racing all the time. it'll be an adjustment for all of you, i guess. yeah, for sure. i think she'll probably struggle more going back for another five and back. so, yeah, i'll maybe annoy her a bit initially, i need a purpose.

towards something and have these goals, right the way but then, i'd just go crazy. so, i'm definitely going to have to have some goals. and also things for yourself to enjoy, like going to watch the arsenal or something or...? yeah, yeah. and six nations. really?! cos it's always been the start of the season. i've always been away racing. so, yeah, doing things like that. obviously, going to see arsenal and... ..maybe take up a different sport as well, you know? yeah. just mix it up a bit. i say boxing, i don't want to do the fighting bit, but the training looks... yeah.

could a bit of everything include this? geraint thomas wouldn't be the first cyclist to take to the floor back in 2012. and what about a bit of a strictly dance floor? the technique, i reckon. oh, man, yeah, i... i wouldn't fancy myself. although, my parents—in—law always say, "please don't do it i reckon, yeah. yeah, i don't know. it would be...

yeah. just because... i've got the hips for it, ithink, but... oh, yeah. when i'm at home, maybe, in the living room, but and what treats are you looking forward to? because when you're training and building up to tours, yeah. ithink... but i think knowing that i can just have whatever i want that'll hold me back, because normally i'm like, "i've got a month to make the most of this," and you overdo it every time. sunday dinners, roast dinners, is something i miss over back in the day, when i was at home with my mum and dad, we'd have them every sunday,

so i'm looking forward to them. are you an ale man, or...? it's quite nice, is it? brains. brains! that's what i'm thinking of. or are you more lager or wine? not on ale yet, but as the years go by, i'm getting more and more into ale. i think i'm showing my age now. as we come to the final chapter, then, what's it going to be like emotion wise? i know. that would be epic if that happens. yeah. and, yeah, i haven't really thought about it much, yeah. we'll see. maybe a shed a tear or two. as the final race. yeah. you know, it's full

circle, isn't it? finishing your career back home, home roads, it would be amazing. well, as i said, i still enjoy riding my bike, so i still go and macs, my son, he's getting older now. i think she's had too much... a few years of stress with that. with him and stuff. yeah. so...

yeah, yeah. if he was in either of them, that would be unreal, wouldn't it? yeah. but, yeah, whatever he fancies. i wouldn't mind going to wimbledon, though. no, no. that would be a good night out. yeah. it is, yeah. so, yeah. you have to dress up, don't you? not sure. we look forward to all those times to come, cheers. thanks a lot. i'll be following you every step. brilliant. it has not been too bad

a start to the weekend, but to deter more unsettled and quite this was west quite windy. this was west cornwall on the cornwall on friday. across the eastern side of the country, the winds have been lighter, a the windshavebeen lighter. a of into the windsheve'bee'n lighter. a of into eastern bit of sunshine into eastern england. we have seen temperatures reach 17 celsius. looking at the weather �* the looking at the weather over the few days, things will be next few days, things will be quite unsettled with large rainfall totals building up across the western side of the uk. we could see some issues with localised flooding is. we have quite a nasty sunday. we have quite a nasty of low pressure on area of low pressure on the way. it is a day of sunny spells and some showers. rain for east anglia and south—east fo east ano'a and math—east ~ ~ ~ , ~ , , , otherwise a fo east aao'a and math—east ~ ~ ~ , ~ , , , otherwise a start {the 77 {the day. 77 {the day. with 77 {the day. with plenty of

of the day. mild with plenty of some showers into the for wales west in afternoon for wales and west in that leaves the england. that still leaves the bulk of the day dry with some sunshine around. temperature is quite as high as they were friday but i! 14, j for 7 for stage j for stage of =have aee'aoe for this, rhflee�* — —— ,,, — — . year. abae aeaoe fathf ftaoea�* , ~ , , . year. through the year. through saturday night, the sky clearfor a then next weather time. then the next weather system creeps into northern ireland. temperatures reaching �* lowest at around four to their lowest at around four to six celsius. sunday, this next system moving and very weather system moving and very quickly. this will bring some rain, the heaviest for heavy rain, the heaviest for parts of england and western partsref england and the strongest winds wales. the strongest winds heading into the north—west the wales. the strongest winds hea we into the north—west the wales. the strongest winds hea we could he north—west the wales. the strongest winds hea we could see orth—west the wales. the strongest winds hea we could see gusts vest the wales. the strongest winds hea we could see gusts vest�* of: 70 7:77 70mph ' "’7bh1},hbe£hnge’t"' ' "’76h1},i1fb££iiifigf£i§is'" ' of rain through. the rain band of rain through. the rain eventually ease across eventually will ease across northern ireland, western

northern lreland, western” no .o. of”, . some fresher scotland. some slightly fresher air will start to come in late the day but temperatures in the day but temperatures will still be into double figures for most. heading into figugrzesyfor most. heading into and the dregs of that monday and the dregs of that weather front bringing to weather front bringing rain to east and south—east mum england in the morning. clearing out of the way and thenit clearing out of the way and then it is a day of sunshine and showers. quite windy across the north—west of but the north—west of scotland but the north—west of scotland but the strong winds. dad ease the strong winds. dad to ease as go through the as we go through the day. around ten to 13 temperatures around ten to 13 for monday. tuesday, celsius for monday. tuesday, still some fairly brisk winds around. they continue lose around. they continue to lose some �* their around. they continue to lose some �*their peak strength. threat fig? 3? “set? eéfig §§f§§§§ threat rain across vof 7 of england but a eastern parts of england but a .. of uncertainty about bit of uncertainty about the details with that. sunny spells details with. that; so"; eoella showers and showers otherwise. showers across the north—west of the uk. a little wintry over uk. a little bit wintry over the very highest of scottish mevery highest of scottish nine mevery highestof scottish nine is still above mountains. nine is stillabove for this stage of the average for this stage of the year. that is the weather eeer thet ifie the fleeether freer next eeer fleet ifie the eeeet'eer freer next few beyond eeer thet ifie the eeether eeer next few beyond that the next few days. beyond that towards the middle part of the

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this is bbc news. five israeli hostages have been publicly released to a sixth hostage has been privately handed over.

cheering. an eruption of cheers as family members celebrate released in exchange. and the final day of campaigning is under way in germany ahead of a general election on sunday. has been found guilty of attempted murder. we begin in the middle east, with these live pictures from ofer prison, in the occupied west bank, which is one of palestinian prisoners

and detainees. earlier in gaza, a total of six hostages were released.